Matty's Secret
by officemaxncheese
Summary: Matty has lived her whole life playing it safe and controlling the situation. But what happens when a member of her own team shows her just how intoxicating being dangerous can be?
1. Chapter 1

*Ding*

Matty anxiously checked her phone, feeling stupid as she saw the notification she had heard was only a fitbit reminder. She sighed, feeling more exasperated with herself than the object of her affection. At this new label she cringed, she had it worse than she thought. She had been attempting to busy herself with work, reading through files about the Phoenix Foundation's newest cases, but she knew it was useless. Ever since that night – here she paused her train of thought, reliving the night of passion that had changed her entire worldview only a few days ago. Had it really only been a few days? It felt as if eons had passed. She couldn't help but try to anticipate their next meeting. It shouldn't be long, they did work together after all.

"Hey, Matty-" a male voice behind her startled her out of her reverie. "Mac!" She said, startled. She gazed up at him, his pale blue eyes narrowed with concern, his blond hair tousled over his forehead in that California surfer kind of way. Matty couldn't help mentally comparing him to her paramour, how poorly Mac looked comparatively. She realized suddenly that Mac was talking. "-we need to talk about Puerto Rico. I'm worried about Riley, she usually doesn't get wrapped up in cases like this." Matty shook her head, his words annoying her like gnats, the meaning currently outside of her understanding. "I'll talk to her." Matty promised, hoping this would sate Mac and leave her in her confused solitude once more.

Thankfully Mac seemed to accept this, and moments later he was back out in the hallway where Jack had been waiting. They stood there for a moment, talking in furtive tones. For a moment Matty wondered if Mac was talking about her, if he knew something was up. But then the scene became clear as Jack's exasperation turned to laughter as he attempted to hold his iPhone out of Mac's reach. Jack seemed so juvenile now, his Texas brand of swagger false. Sure, he had seemed cute initially, but he didn't _get_ her. There was only one man that could do that, and he wasn't answering her texts right now.

Suddenly her phone buzzed again in her hand. Could it be? She tried to keep her hopes in check, after all, it was probably just a calendar reminder. Still, her hands shook slightly as she turned her phone over. The name that lit up the screen seemed to light up Matty's very soul too. He wanted to see her. Tonight. Matty texted back almost too quickly, but how could she not? She knew she would do anything for Bozer.


	2. Chapter 2

Matty spent the rest of her morning in meetings with the Pentagon, which helped to keep her mind off things, however as the day dragged on her mind returned to its earlier occupation. It felt as if something in her physical center of gravity had shifted, and now there was a magnetic pull dragging her toward Bozer. This was in part because Jack had reminded her mid-morning that she had agreed to go out to eat pizza at the arcade tonight.

Her mind kept drifting, imagining different scenarios of how tonight would go. Some were positive, some were so negative that a small part of her, the part that had apparently escaped CIA training and was still desperately romantic, wanted to cry like a teenager. She shook her head as if to escape her daydreams, frustrated. It was nearly 3:30 now and it would soon be time to leave. She felt a little thrill. Just to see Bozer again might be enough to sate her, but she doubted that possibility even as she thought it. She needed to possess him again, to feel his lips against hers once more. Matty drank in the delicious thought for a moment, not recognizing that her phone was buzzing for a moment. When she realized she seized it, worried. There was no reason for anyone to be calling her right then. This must be bad news.

"Hello?" She answered, her worst fears confirmed as a robotic voice on the other end of the line started reeling off coordinates. Grabbing a pencil she scribbled them down as fast as she could, her heart plummeting as she realized. This was the coordinates she had convinced the King of Libya to sent to her after a particularly intense negotiation session two weeks before. Stepping out into the hall she caught sight of Riley walking down the hall, her laptop in hand. "Riley! Round up the team and get in here! We've got Murdoc's coordinates!" Matty called, then turned away without waiting for a response from Riley. She knew she should feel elated that her diplomacy skills had awarded the team with their first real lead on Murdoc's location, but all she could feel was disappointment as she felt her semi-pizza date with Bozer going up in smoke.

Her emotions all seemed to be doing the opposite of what she wanted them to do. What was this? Love was a terrifying word. Attraction seemed too blasé. Fatal attraction was more like it, but it felt too melodramatic. Maybe there wasn't a word for how she felt. She sighed heavily, feeling defeated until she heard a gorgeous voice behind her. A voice that brought a flood of sepia-tinted recent memories come rushing back. "Bozer?" She asked, the thrill in her voice more obvious than she would have liked.


	3. Chapter 3

Her dissatisfaction was clear on her face when the team filed into the room, though she hoped she could channel it away convincingly from the real reason behind her angst.

"Hey Matty, have I ever told you how much I love your sunshine attitude?" Jack cracked as he finally entered the room, closing the door behind him. "Enough games, Cowboy." She snapped, opening the Phoneix foundation app on her iPad and screen casting the new Murdoc information onto the wall. She ran through the presentation quickly, trying to focus on the task in front of her, and not on Bozer, who sat watching her, his eyes seeming to bore through her. "Alright. Jack and Mac, you two are headed to Bolivia. Riley, you're going too, but you'll have to guide them through the compound Murdoc is in from the plane; after Monaco, Murdoc's men are sure to be on the lookout for you." She gazed around at her team, hoping no one noticed that she was keeping Bozer sidelined for this mission. "Get ready, the plane leaves in 30. Don't come home emptyhanded, the Pentagon, CIA, and most importantly me, want Bozer's butt."

There was a silence before she realized her mistake. Jack laughed, and for a moment Matty steeled herself for the tidal wave of realization.

"Bozer?" Mac laughed, "since when did you become an international menace?" Jack clapped his hand on Bozer's back, "I knew you were designing those creepy masks for evil." Relieved that they seemed oblivious Matty shook her head. "Boys. You know what I mean. Plane is still leaving in 30, so if I were you I'd hit the road. I'm not going to answer to the Pentagon because you all are screwing around." Jack sighed, rising from his chair, and Mac, Bozer, and Riley dutifully following him out. "Bozer, hang on a second." Matty said. For a moment both Mac and Bozer seemed to be heading back into the room, and Matty felt a tinge of panic; but then she realized Mac had just forgotten to set down his latest paperclip creation. She eyed the small metal Bolivian flag as Bozer sat back down. "So do you need to talk to me, or do you need to _talk_ to me?" Bozer asked salaciously.


	4. Chapter 4

At this Matty giggled like a school girl, slapping him flirtatiously. "Don't!"

Then, as if remembering herself she straightened herself, pursing her lips as she looked down, trying to regain control. She couldn't believe how quickly she seemed to give herself over to him. It was as if he was magnetic, pulling her out of the defensive shell she had built around herself for so many years. It had been a struggle, years of working twice as hard as everyone else to get half as far had taken their toll on her psyche. However, those scars seemed to melt away into oblivion the moment Bozer's deep, dark eyes met hers. It was as if all the romantic ideals that she had ever scoffed at were manifesting themselves in her life all at the same time. Her past self would be horrified at what a sap she had evidently become. Bozer seemed to have noticed the faraway look in her eyes, and he took her hands in his as he seated himself in Riley's vacated chair. Bringing her small hand up to his lips he kissed it softly, his lips gentle against her fingers but no less sensual. She felt a thrill run through her and she longed to feel his lips on hers once more. Almost unconsciously she allowed herself to be drawn into his arms. If there was a heaven it surely had nothing that could top this. She rested her dark head on his strong shoulders, feeling the steady thrumming of his heart through his hoodie. He let her stay like that for a little while, but then he pulled away to look at her.

"Matty?" He began and she saw that something akin to fear had crept into his eyes. The appearance of this new emotion froze her heart. Was she losing him? A sudden wave of panic flooded her entire body. She must prove what he meant to her. Without a second's hesitation she leaned forward, kissing him with all of the intensity that her heart cried out with. At first he seemed to hesitate, but then passion won out and he kissed her back with an equal strength. For a moment it was bliss, then, suddenly, from the doorway, Jack's unmistakable wolf whistle and laugh made Matty stop dead.


	5. Chapter 5

"Jack!" She exclaimed, leaping back. "You have a plane to catch!" Jack shook his head, disbelief clear on his face. "When I get back, we-" He gestured at Matty, Bozer, and finally at himself, "have got a lot to talk about." Then with one final chuckle he left, still looking something between amusement and bewilderment.

The moment the door shut behind him Matty released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding until now. Then she sunk down onto the floor, her face in her hands as the consequences of her actions washed over her. Perhaps most disconcerting, her strongest feeling wasn't one of regret, but sadness that their tryst might be over for good. Suddenly, she felt Bozer's strong hand on her arm, turning her back to look at him. "Hey." He began, but she cut him off. "This was a horrible mistake, wasn't it?" She whispered, tears welling in her eyes as she gazed at him. He shook his head self-assuredly, his face turning from concern to confidence. "This-" he paused, "we, could never be a mistake. You're amazing Matty, and we'll get through this. Together. I promise." Matty softened at his assureity, tilting her head to one side, a small half smile growing on her face. She leaned towards him once more, seeking the strength that was only found in his kiss, when the room suddenly plunged into darkness. Matty and Bozer leapt apart at this sudden change in scenery. "Matty?" Bozer asked. "I'm right here." She responded, examining the ceiling far above her. "What happened? Did the power go out?" He asked. "Not possible. The Phoenix Foundation has a grid of backup energy sources in case of emergency. It could withstand the apocalypse." She said shortly. "So what's going on?" Bozer asked, a note of fear in his voice. Matty shook her head, forgetting he couldn't see her. "We're under attack."


	6. Chapter 6

**APPROX. 1 MONTH AGO – PHOENIX FOUNDATION PARKING LOT**

Harried, Jill crossed the parking lot towards her car. It was late, the moon's pale light shining upon her as she shivered. It was almost 3 AM, late even by Matty's exacting standards, but with Thanksgiving break starting tomorrow, there would be so much to do. For once, Jill was almost relieved she didn't have any family that would get in the way of her finishing all the work she had to do before Matty got back on Monday.

Still, deep down there was always a twinge of disappointment when the holidays rolled around and she found herself alone in her apartment watching a Friend's marathon. When she had been younger, she had wished for parents, maybe a few annoying but loving siblings. Now however, she couldn't help wondering what it would be like to a family of her own to care for. She could almost see the scene, a big turkey dinner, toddlers fighting over the wishbone- an unconscious smile crept over her lips as she considered. She was at her car, turning sideways to squeeze past the van that had parked uncomfortably close to her compact sedan. Why did she have such bad luck? The entire rest of the parking lot was empty, why couldn't they have parked anywhere else? She groaned to herself, then suddenly the cold steel of the van pressing into her back was yanked back and she found herself falling backwards, something sharp pricking her neck.

When Jill came to she was sitting in a chair, but not in the dark basement she expected. Instead, her eyes fluttered open to see a huge picture window that looked over a mass of trees, some kind of park. Blinking hard she attempted to stand, then sunk back down, her head throbbing. Where was she? How long had she been knocked out for? And perhaps most importantly, who on earth could have kidnapped her? Standing more carefully, she ignored the sharp pain in her head and carefully made her way over to the window. She was up high, the top level of an unfamiliar stone building. The trees in front of her looked familiar however, and she suddenly realized it was Central Park. Her brow knit together in confusion and she turned around to examine the rest of her surroundings, taking them in for the first time. It appeared to be a large penthouse apartment, lavishly furnished. This did nothing to alleviate her confusion. Who would kidnap her, only to put her up in luxury? She bit her lip, then crossed over to the bed, where she noticed a card propped up against the pillows. Eagerly she picked it up and read the spidery handwriting, almost charming in its old-fashioned style.

 _Don't exert yourself trying to escape. The doors are watched – and boobytrapped. See you soon._

That certainly seemed ominous Jill thought, flipping over the card only to realize that it was actually the room service menu for the Ritz-Carlton. The Ritz? In NYC? This had to a mistake. She must have been grabbed on accident, perhaps they had thought she was one of the many high-value customers of the Phoenix Foundation. Maybe she could explain it was a case of mistaken identity. Nervously she inspected the spacious apartment, though she didn't really see anything, her gaze passing emptily over the marble bathroom, excessive crown molding, and well-appointed sitting room. The glamour of it all seemed numbed, out of focus, but Jill couldn't tell if it was fear or drug residue still eating away at her brain. She suddenly realized she was bone tired. Glancing at the huge four poster bed she struggled against herself. It would be terribly foolish to lie down, still, maybe she could for just a second. Surely she would hear if anyone came in? This seemed perfectly sensible, and, relieved, she took off her shoes and nearly fell into the bed.

She awoke suddenly with the sense that someone was there. She sat up, squinting in the dark. She squinted at the clock, but it was a worthless smear of green light without her glasses. Fumbling, she reached for her glasses, but a slim, cold hand suddenly grabbed her wrist, pushing her hand back to the bed. Jill tried to cry out, but terror seemed to have strangled her vocal cords. Instead she pushed herself back against the pillows, her eyes adjusting to the darkness. A lithe form silently seated itself at the end of the bed, almost invisible in the pitch black. For a moment it was quiet, then Jill remembered her words.

"Yo-you have the wrong person." She managed bravely. She wasn't sure what response she expected but it certainly wasn't the quiet laugh she received.

"No I don't Jill." Came a refined dulcet tone, almost cheerful. Jill inhaled sharply at the sound of her name, her fanciful dreams of explaining her way out of the situation evaporating.

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" She heard a hysterical note creeping into her voice, making it weaker than she wished. The figure patted her coverlet reassuringly.

"I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves. Sweet dreams." It rose with a sinuous grace, then suddenly paused as if remembering something. "I'm glad you took my advice, didn't try the doors, they're wired rather nastily. I would hate for anything to happen to that pretty face of yours."

Jill scoffed aloud at this. "You kidnapped me!" She said accusingly. The figure turned back towards her for a moment and Jill thought he might be heading back towards her, then he seemed to change his mind, instead walking back into the darkness, only the sound of his voice alerting her that he was still in the room.

"Kidnapping. That's such a limiting term. You have got to think big picture." And with that, he was gone.

 **PRESENT DAY – PHOENIX FOUNDATION**

Bozer walked the length of the room, using the flashlight on his phone to guide his path. "Matty, I'm not getting any signal."

Matty frowned grimly. "Keep trying. I'm trying to contact someone from within the system. It looks like whoever cut the lights also tripped the automatic locks and jammed all phone and internet networks."

Bozer groaned. "Man, these must be some real high-level pros."

"Beyond high-level." Matty corrected. At this, Bozer threw himself down in a chair.

"Well, what's taking them so long? We've been in the dark so long I'm starting to forget what I look like."

Matty rolled her eyes. "It's been twenty minutes. But I agree, they should have moved into step two of their attack plan by now if they were here to take our servers, it only takes twenty five minutes for the alarm to come online in the case of a full power cut. Whatever they are coming for, they banked on spending more time finding it than taking it." Then, almost to herself, she added, "but what?" There were no high-value items currently being held at the Phoenix, there had been a crude nuclear device built by a rogue Bolivian scientist last week, recovered by Mac and the team, but that had been handed off to the authorities weeks ago.

"Uh, Matty?" Bozer's voice, edged with panic, broke through her thoughts.

"Bozer if this is-" Matty sighed exasperated. "No! Matty, look!" He cried. Matty turned just in time to see a glowing orange line growing around the edge of the door. Someone was cutting their way in!

"Bozer!" Matty gasped, feeling her way in the dark to where he stood, pressing his back against the wall as if to put more space between him and whatever was on the other side of the door.

"Matty I don't want to be turned into flame-grilled Bozer nuggets!" Bozer blubbered, his eyes huge with fear as the huge heated blade shoved its way around the last corner of the door.


	7. Chapter 7

APPROX. 3 ½ WEEKS AGO – THE RITZ?

Jill was beginning to lose track of time. Sometimes she was sure she had been here a few hours, other times she wondered if it had been months. Food appeared in the morning and the plates disappeared while she slept, leaving her no trail of evidence by which to track her imprisonment. The man with the panther-like grace had not reappeared. Jill had awoken from a deep slumber several times with the feeling someone was watching her, but no one was ever there.

It bothered Jill that she had been sleeping so soundly. Her typical sleep schedule could be best described as 'insomniac with a caffeine addiction'. Now however, while kidnapped, she was sleeping more than she ever had. At first, she had thought perhaps the shock of it all was shutting down her system, but she had started to become suspicious. She had not eaten all day, but instead flushed her day's rations down the toilet.

Now she lay in bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling, wishing for food or sleep or both as the alarm clock cast a neon green light onto the wall beside her. Her thoughts oscillated between cursing her paranoia that had left her so hungry and a sense of terror that perhaps she had been right. Finally, she flopped onto her back, closed her eyes and began silently counting to 1,000. Maybe boredom would finally help her drift off.

Around the 400 mark she became acutely aware of a presence in the room with her. At first, she thought it must be the hunger getting to her, but then she realized she could hear someone very close to her breathing almost imperceptibly. She froze her counting but tried to keep her face relaxed. She would have to time this perfectly and timing had never been her strong suit – that was why she had been kicked out of marching band in high school. Still, she had to try. So she waited:

1…

2…

3…

then lunged for her glasses.

She felt her hand brush them and then felt a powerful iron grip grab her red hair and pull her back onto the bed. She screamed – a quarter of a second and then another hand clamped over her mouth.

"Jill, Jill, Jill." A low voice, the Panther Man's, whispered in her ear. "Let's not kill the mood."

She struggled helplessly.

"Jill, I've got a proposition for you. If you promise to be still and stop screaming, I'll let go of you. Deal?"

She went limp, considering, then nodded. The hands released her, and she slumped forward before twisting around and pushing herself upright.

"What do you want?" She begged, feeling almost delirious with fear and frustration.

The Panther Man ignored this. "Let me tell you a little about my viewpoints. My-" There was a sharp intake of breath and he continued almost reverently, "personal philosophy. You see, people always believe that the best shine the brightest. That the smartest, most beautiful, and most talented people will be thrust up into the limelight that those below might marvel at their perfection." Here his voice was filled with disgust. "Those that believe that as truth are not worth the lime Jello with which they fill their bellies."

"No," he continued. "For you see most of those in the spotlight are not the best, they are merely the most desperate. The most egotistical, to believe they deserved to be set above others, to sell the dream to those who wish to hear it. They do not deserve the things they have. They are not worthy to be set above others."

His hand reached out and caressed Jill's cheek, so lightly it would have been imperceptible if it weren't for the electric current it seemed to arc through his fingers, through Jill's face and down deep inside her, lighting up her very essence of being. It frightened her, but it also emboldened her.

"Who is then?" She asked, a little breathlessly.

His hand suddenly swooped along her jaw and held her chin fast. "I'm glad you asked." He murmured, his voice almost a growl.

"The forgotten ones. The genius in the shadows, the beauty that no one sees, those that are mistreated or cast aside simply because they were not anxious, not reaching, not hungry enough. Not to worry, things are about to change, things will be set right, and those who deserve it will be set in their rightful place."

Jill gazed into the darkness, her mouth slightly open, his words almost hypnotic. "You?" She asked.

He chuckled, his hand sliding down the length of her throat in one fluid motion.

"Not just me. You too are worthy." Jill gaped, shuddering a little, though with what emotion she did not quite know.

"Me?"

"Oh yes, perhaps the only one I ever saw truly deserving. When I first laid eyes on you, I couldn't believe such beauty was being overlooked, ignored." His voice grew angry. "How could no one recognize the portrait of true, glorious magnificence that they were privileged to view each and every day? It was like seeing a Renoir in a coffee shop. Finally, like any good art lover, I knew I had to take you with me, somewhere were someone would truly admire you."

A soft sigh escaped Jill's lips and suddenly his mouth descended upon hers. Jill had been kissed before, but, oh, never like this. The sparks inside her leapt into a full flame, and she felt her arms going up and around him. His hands glided over her; his mouth so possessive she felt that she might faint. He pulled her into his arms and finally released her. She lay in his lap, so lost she almost wasn't sure where she was.

Finally, he spoke, his voice husky with desire. "God, I could stay here forever with you. You're an even more potent drug that I ever could have imagined." He dug in his pocket and suddenly in the glow of the alarm clock Jill saw a syringe.

"I have too." He whispered.

She stared dreamily at it. She should be scared, but somehow, in that moment she trusted him completely. She arched up toward him and the last thing she felt was the needle piercing her skin.


End file.
